


I'll Be the One Waiting There (Even When It's Cold)

by wesawbears



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: 1990s, Found Family, Friendship, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesawbears/pseuds/wesawbears
Summary: Luke was never on his own, even after running away. Alex and Reggie and Bobby are there to take care of him.--In which Alex runs into Mrs. Patterson at the store, and is forced to be the responsible one (not that he has much of a choice in the matter).
Relationships: Alex/Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 233





	I'll Be the One Waiting There (Even When It's Cold)

Alex ran his hand over the shelves as he walked, considering what snacks to bring to practice tonight. His mom had always told him to “look with eyes, not with his fingers”, but he’d never been great at listening to that. Too much nervous energy to keep his hands still. It was his turn to go to the store with their tip money from the past weekend. 

It was a lame cover, he knew, when most of what he was going to get would end up being Luke’s dinner, but it was a way to share the load without making Luke feel like he was getting charity. They all earned the money- they all shared it. That was the deal.

That said, as the responsible one, Alex’s choices tended to be a bit more substantial. Luke seemed to think he could survive on cup noodles alone, while Reggie thought sugar was a food group. So, Alex turned the corner to try and stock up on a couple cans of vegetables that he could persuade Luke to eat so he didn’t die of scurvy or...whatever happened when you didn’t eat vegetables.

As he looked, he caught eyes with someone at the end of the row. Panic surged in him, but it wasn’t like he could hide. He was too tall and awkward to make a stealthy escape. He would probably just knock everything over and make a spectacle of himself. Instead, he just steeled himself and swallowed hard.

“Alex?”

“Hey Mrs. Patterson…”

He hadn’t seen her in a few weeks, since Luke ran away. Before that, he’d been at their house more than his own for at least the last few years. But now, he didn’t know what to say.

She gave him a small smile. “How are you, hon?”

“I’m good.” He almost asked how she was, but he figured that would probably be inconsiderate, considering everything that had led to him being the one buying her son food.

She almost looked like moving on, but eventually got the same look he recognized as Luke’s when he had decided on something. “Luke- is he alright?”

“Mrs. Patterson, I don’t-”

“I’m not mad, Alex. I just...I know you’ve seen him. I just want to know that he’s safe. Can you at least tell me that?”

Alex swallowed. “He’s...he’s okay. Reggie and I are taking care of him.”

She nodded and it made Alex notice how tired she looked. He imagined looking for your kid for weeks did that to you and felt like shit for covering for Luke. 

“We’re getting him food. And he has clothes and blankets. We do alright at the clubs.”

That didn’t seem to make her feel better, but if she had her doubts, she didn’t voice them. “You’re a good kid, Alex. I know he’s lucky to have you to look after him.”

He nodded, unsure of what to say. “I gotta get going. But it was nice to see you, Mrs. Patterson.”

“You too, honey.” She paused. “And- I know you won’t tell him, but...make sure he knows. He has a home to come back to. Always.”

‘He’ll come around eventually. You just...gotta give him time.”

She sighed and patted his arm. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart.”

“You too.”

He continued grabbing cans and made it out of the supermarket as quickly as he could, haunted by something he couldn’t name.

\--

“The snacks have arrived!” Reggie announced. “And, hey Alex.”

Alex shot him a look. “Glad to see where your priorities are, Reg.”

He grinned and immediately reached for the pack of Twizzlers. Alex rolled his eyes and let him have them before his arm was ripped off.

He threw a bag of chips at Bobby and a pack of beef jerky at Luke. 

“That shit is gross,” Bobby said.

Luke stuck his tongue out.

“It’s got protein,” Alex said in reply before settling on the couch next to Luke, tapping his leg to get him to move his feet. 

“I appreciate you, babe,” Luke said, beaming up at him.

Alex smiled and relaxed a little. Luke always said he was too tightly wound, but he figured one of them had to be in this group.

They eventually finished eating and got to practicing, at Luke’s insistence. Alex didn’t mind. It was good to get his mind off everything by throwing it all into his hands and his sticks. Before they knew it, it started getting late and Bobby took his guitar off. 

“I gotta go before my mom calls in the National Guard. Same time tomorrow?”

“Yeah man. See ya.”

Reggie stuck around for a few more minutes, but eventually also left. It was Alex’s unofficial turn to stay with Luke, since Reggie had the night before.

“I know what you guys are doing,” Luke said from his beanbag up in the loft.

“Taking care of you?”

“I’m fine, Alex.”

“I know. Can I not want to spend the night with my boyfriend?” Alex asked, settling in next to him.

Luke hummed in response, but eventually curled in against him. Alex’s arm went around him and he looked down at Luke’s peaceful face. He knew he hadn’t been sleeping well, so it was nice to see that he could relax around Alex.

“I bought you some veggies. Just figured it might be good to eat something other than noodles.”

“Canned ravioli says it’s two servings of vegetables,” Luke mumbled.

Alex smirked. “I don’t mean to argue with Chef Boyardee, but I think you need a little more than that.”

“Thanks Alex.”

“Course,” he said, tilting his head to kiss his forehead.

“It’s just for a little longer.”

Alex nodded. “Just a little longer.”

He knew what Luke meant. Soon they would get big and they wouldn’t have to worry about furnishing a garage and buying enough food that could be cooked in a microwave. Luke always said it wasn’t about the money, but it was at least a little bit. 

They lay there, and Alex watched as Luke drifted off against him. He didn’t want to move him, knowing he’d been awake writing for days now, to distract himself. Luke could be complicated, but Alex had always been able to read him.

Luke liked to take care of them, in his way, and until he was ready to go home, Alex would be his home. Just like Luke was his.


End file.
